"I'd rather go to a baseball game. I'd rather watch a tennis match,” Reid said. "I'd rather watch soccer. I'm glad people enjoy football, but I don’t enjoy it that much. I do like college football."

The Nevada Democrat's support of the Washington Nationals is well documented, particularly since the arrival of outfielder Bryce Harper , a Las Vegas native. The Nationals' rookie manager, Matt Williams, hails from the state capital of Carson City.

In the interview with the Review-Journal, Reid said he has cheered for the "Washington football team" and attended a game many years ago, during which, he recalled, a drunk fan spilled beer on him, accidentally.

"If they did it today, I'd think they'd be doing it on purpose," Reid said.